Improvement in bee-hives



li gtlnitell J. C. GASTON, OF CINCINNATI, OI-IIO.

Letter-S'Batmt No'. 86,915, dated Februar/ry 16, 1869. I

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-RIVES.

Be it known that I, J. O. GASTON, of Cincinnati, in Hamilton county, in the State of Ohio, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Bee-Hives;

and I do hereby declare that-the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved bee-hive.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the same, with a portion of the case broken away, to exhibit the interior.

In the accompanying drawiugs- A denotes a rectangular hive, supported-upon legs B.

The hive is provided with two hinged doors, C D.

The former, C, constitutes the top of the hive, and the latter, D, forms the bottom thereof.

The object of hinging the entire bottom is to provide a free opening.V for the admission of a swarm of bees; also, for the purpose of opening this hingedbottom t0 a suicient extent for free ventilation in very warm weather.

' The hive may be made in two parts, the parts litting closely together at the line x a: in figs. l and 2.

rlhe openings o o are covered with wire gauze, and

serve for Ventilating the apartments.

At the ends, and in the interior of the hive, below the removable diaphragm E, there are two rectangular rails, z, supported by metal brackets a a.

rIhese rails z are arranged with their corners in vertical and horizontal planes, which cut the rails centrally, thereby forming narrow rests, upon which the corners of the removable pendants y p are supported.

The pendants are made of three right-angular pieces of wood, and are removable, at pleasure, without diiculty.

When the sharp, angular corners only are in contact with supports, which present similar narrow or sharp points of contact with the frames or pendants, as rcpresented in iig. 2', the pendants or frames may be very easily detached, because a slight vibrating movement may be easily given to the frames or pendants, which will break the fastening of wax which the bees have placed about these points of contact, and the pendant or frame may be readily and quickly removed; and, when constructed' in this manner, the entire body of comb may be detached by sliding it out at the open end of the pendant, by iirst passing a knife along the surfaces of the pendant to which tle comb adheres.

The comb so removed from the pendants is not broken or marred by the operation, and the pendants are left in a clean condition, to be again dropped into their places.

Instead of cleats to support the removable diaphragm E, I employ four meta-l studs, inserted in the sides of the hive, where they will not. impede the free introduction of the pendants.

The passage-way s, for ingress and regress, represented in fig. 1, is substantially like that described in entrance to the hive; and, in certain conditions of the swarm of bees, the direct entrance is desirable.

Whena new swarm of bees is placed in the hive, it is important that the entrance or passage-way should be in such relation to the hive that the bees will readily tind ingress and regress, and at such a time the direct passageway or entrance n is to be employed but, after the bees have become accustomed to their new habi- I tation, the direct passagefway a may be removed, and the bees will readily adopt the passage-way s, which is described in my former patent.

The opening in the side ofthe bee-hive, into which tube n is inserted, should be carefully closed when the tube a is removed.

The tubular passage-way n would be equally effective, if formed of the same material, in a rectangular form.

I deem this device, as a protection of the hive from moth and Aother insects, a valuable and novel improve'- ment.

My obj ect in making the'tube n of wire gauze is to imitate, as closely as possible, the spiders web, in order to prevent the entrance of millers, and, at the same time, afford an easy passage for the bees.

I am aware that entrance-tubes have heretofore been constructed of various materials-Wood, perforated tin, 85e.; but these' I do not wishto claim, my invention being limited to where the tube is made wholly of gauze' or wire, and arranged, in relation to the bottom, as set forth.

The rails z, which are sustained upon brackets projeotin g from the interior of the end-pieces ofthe hive,

occupy positions which aii'ord a clear passage-Way between them and the inner surfaceof the hive; and, when the pendants are resting upon the rails z, free access may be had to all parts of the inner surface of the hive, between the pendants, and their supports, and the hive. The bees may, therefore, pass freely around their work at all times, and any moisture which may accumulate upon the inner surfaces will freely pass to the bottom of the hive, without being brought in contact with the honey,

Having fully described my improvements in beehives Wliat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The rectangular rails z, supported, by brackets,

Way n and passage-Way s,- in the purposes substantially as describe manner, and for the d.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto setfmy hand,

this 11th dey of December, 1868.

Witnesses:

H. P. K. PEUR, A.. L. KING.

J. C. GASTON. 

